Colar decapper applying machine



Aug- 19, 1952 R. E. REARDON COLLAR DECAPPER APPLYING MACHINE 2SHEETSh-Sl-{EET l Filed April 27, 1946 F l a. l.

Fl s. 6.

Fla-

INVENTOR ug- 19, 1,952 R. E. REARDON COLLAR DECAPPER APPLYING MACHINE 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed April 27, 1946 Fl s. 3.

INVENTOR Patented Aug. 1x9, 11952 UNITED STATES OFFICE coLIAnnocifs-EPEE APPIMNG Robert'vEd-win ,Reardom, Canitlem ApplicationApril-2 7,A 1946,;,seriarNoi 665,535?

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21Claimsr.Y 1.

My invention relates toL improvements -i`n= machines for formingl andapplying'V accessory de'-v vicesv to-bottles or other'containers andparticularly relates to a machine for formingand apply'- ing= anindividual decapper izo-'bottles and similar containers, especiallythosedesigned*- for closure- This application is a re-presentationinypartof mjy priorapplica/tionl led March 28, 1936; Ser. No. 712,481-, onCollar Decappers-a-nd Forming of' Same, which issuedas Patent 2,183,588on (L'ollar Decappers, December 19, 1939.

The object of my inventionis toprovidea col-- lardecapperapplyingemachinehaving means forV receiving aplurality ofdecapper blanksof thiny sheetV metal or equivalent material'y which have` been"partiallyfpre-formed for economy" andfacility of handling insuch-condition; feed'ingsaid7 blanks toa readily changeable shapingarbor and dien therefor, designed toA impartl any desiredinal formation'to t the-headl andneckc'nish ofthe bottle or other containertowhichtheyare toV bev appliedp including embossrnent of a labelor-advertising design if-sodesired; and then; after-the final formationis impartedin this case thatofl a collar-passing the'finished'decapperto means' for' momentarily intercepting thebottlesorother containers as they-pass on a chain conveyor ad'- jacentto which mymachine has been adjusted,

and placing one of'saidY decapper collars on each- Fig. 1, prior to theaction of the shaping die on a pre-formed blank and the shaping arbor;

Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on the line 2`21of Fig. 1-, showing theaction of theshaping die on a blank and the shaping arbor- Fig. '4 is' afacial elevation of the shaping die; on line 1 4 of Fig. 2. n

Fig; 5 is a horizontal section on linel 5 5 'of Fig. l, showing'the':application of'a fully formed decapping collar to a bottle.

Fig. 6 is a rear lelevation of a Dref-formedfdecapper blank.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation` 'offa bottle head with acc'oll'ar decapper.applied thereto, fully formed fromy the. pre-formed@ blank;

Fig. v8 is a rear'elevation of a collar decapperrasl applied toabottle'..

Similar numeralsi indicate4 similar parts?` forward; of sa-meonthelbasefis erected'fa-tubularlesser standard@ that is attached?y` tothe main standardfat its upper endby a bracket 4 extendedfrom.the@saidimainstandardf. Slidablyfmountedi upon. said. tubularlesserf standard and adj uste-v able vertically on. saine'. tov suitthe: heightoi" la bottle conveyor;v by 'm'ea'ns ofi aslide collarand? asetlscrewl 5;. isaab'racketi Ewhioh terminally braces1 the` 'chainconveyor.` "FS byI-'the 'upwar'd exetension ofan. end? arm. 8f,adu'stable byset screwwhich. may act as'. a. gud'ef. an'dbackv supportfor the bottles. or. other; containers travellingfon the'ch-ainpconveyorr! On bracketA 6i' opposite 'said endf; arm 83 is.rotatably mounted? a;v star wlieelft'l with its. arr-nsextending=over-tlrecliain conveyor 1 to intercept vandi engage 'apassi-ng' bottle* or` other 'contai-nor@andE rotateas it' moves along,the endfarm 8. cot-operating toconta'ctually center the contanerin andibetweei-i-fthet embracing arm's-4 of the: star wheel 91. at: one pointof-ffthe rotation* of"- sa-r'ne. The: stem of' star wheel'S-isfmoi-rnted` bracket 6: and extends througlrY Yits; bearingv toA mount'on-V its. lower endal bevel gear wheel' I'- which. 'engages 'a'. trainof' "gears Hf' in which is included?. a. sprocket wheel@If-Z-f-frornwhich -adrive;- chain i236 extends-.l to a source# o'f-vmotive power.V Includedy in said: gearftrain 'Ifli" afh-ubmc"tintedhorizontally/.rotating gear wheelf M which# .has a squared'. centra-l?aperture traversing 'its airisA of rotation, Saidge'ar trainflflterminates ,adjacent the-lesser" standard- '3l the bracket 6i' in; a'ilat diski wheel, |52 having a. transversiye. aperture ci? center initsaiface which engagesa pivot studon-` thelower enfoiar driving-barI-'l that extendsfupwardf therefrom to.. pii'votally engagel a,vertically adjustalrlez.'collary tu: which i'sfslidablymgourentire-'shank A|29 ofthe dedapperapplying mech*- the: decapper applyingYrnci':llfa nisiii to vsuit thel heightfoi'rtheffbdfttles.or othercontainers to which Y raisingI and lowering the applierfffronandintosteadying headzfcontact with. the bottles vfair-othercontainerspassing on conveyor 1. The tubular shank I9 of the applying mechanismsupports a head portion comprised of a bracket 2| which extendsforwardly over the lower bracket 6 and carries the decapper applyingmeans. A hubmounted bevel gear wheel 22 rotates horizontally on saidbracket 2| and has a square central aperture traversive of its rotativeaxis, similar to that in gear wheel on bracket 6 which is immediatelybelow said wheel 22 and in vertical axial alignment with same. Geared atright angle to said wheel 22 and pivoted on bracket 2| is a verticallyrotative gear wheel 23 of larger diameter which has a fiat face on whichis pivoted, suitably off center, one end of a driving bar 24 the otherend of which is pivoted to a horizontally reciprocative plunger 25,which moves to and fro in a runway formed in bracket 2| by rail bearings26 and 21 as said gear wheel 23 rotates. The forward end 28 of saidplunger 25 is vertically hollowed and spring hinged in the center ofsaid hollow are two horizontally extendable arcuate' face plates 28A,preferably of hard rubber or the like, which are designed to resilientlycontact the finished decapper collar, without defacing same, and push itupon a bottle neck when the bottle is intercepted by the interceptingmechanism below, until the laterally resilient decapping collar snapsinto place on the bottle, as shown in Figure '7. In the forwardlyprojected terminal of bracket 2|, at the end of the upper bearing rail26 of the applying plunger 25, is

mounted invertedly a shanked cone 29, of hard rubber or the like,preferably, held in place by insertion of its shank in the bracketframe, that is designed to descend into the mouth of the bottleintercepted and steady it while the plunger thrusts a collar decapperupon the bottle. Rearward of this steadying cone 29 a tubular shaft 30extends upward through the bracket frame,

forming an opening in and above the runway of the applying plunger topermit a fully formed decapper collar to drop in front of the saidapplier when the latter is in receded position, or

temporarily rest upon the top of said applier if it is in forwardposition at the moment. Partly housed in said tubular shaft 30 is ametal slide post 3| down which the full formed decapper collars mayembracingly slide within the said shaft 30. Vertically above and inalignment with the container intercepting mechanism, a bracket 32extends from the main standard 2 and the upper end of said slide post 3|is attached to one side of a trap opening 33 in the lower side of saidbracket 32. Adjacent the opening'33 and rearward of same there ismounted in the frameof bracket 32 for horizontal rotation a bevel gearwheel 34 that is in axial alignment with the square holed gear wheels |5and 22 in the container intercepting and collar applying mecha` nismsbelow it on vertically adjustable brackets 6 and 2 l, which slide on andin the tubular lesser standard 3. structurally integral with said gearwheel 34, which is hub mounted, is a square drive diagonally in saidbevel gear wheel 34 is a transf mission shaft 36 that has gear Wheelterminals 31 and 38 which engage said wheel 34 and a bevel gear 39 onthe front face of a vertically rotative disk wheel t@ pivoted above andrearwardly of said wheel 3d, the said disk wheel 40 having a sprocketwheel 11| mounted on its reverse side. The said wheel |10 is pivotedcentrally opposite a runway 42 formed thereat in bracket 32 by bearingrails i3 and 4t. In said runway 42 is detachably mounted forreciprocative movement therein a compound shaping die comprised ofvarious hinged and otherwise assembled co-operative parts, as 136, 41,48, 49, 5|) and 5i, in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4, and adapted to wrap asemi-formed decapper blank, as 52, around a detachably mounted shapingarbor 53, by contact therewith, said shaping arbor being fixed in thepath of the shaping die travel by securing means, such as pin 54, andVreadily changeable for a differently shaped .arbor if desired, as bywithdrawal and replacement of said pin 5t. A forked driving vbar 55pivotally and detachably engages the rear body of the compound die, t5,as by means of studs 56 at the fork ends engaging apertures in saidbody. The flat rearward end of said driving bar 55 is pivoted on the atface of the sprocket wheel 4| on the reverse side of the disk wheel 4Q,suitably olf the center of same. 'The shaping 'die d5 thus moves to andfrom the arbor 53 as the disk wheel 40 rotates, and bothdie and arbormay be readily removed and replaced if others of different shape aredesired to give final form to decapper blanks to fit the neck and headfinish of diiferent bottles. In the lower bearing 4 of the Shaper runway42 there is located, suitably distant from the arbor 53, the exitopening driving bar 55, beyond the radius of disk wheel 4|), isv pivotedthe lower end of an agitator bar 59 the upper end of which is pivoted asat 60 on the shank of a feed drum 6| with a domed top that is verticallyand rotatively movable in the funnel shaft 62 of funnel shaped upperfeed hopper 63 that is adapted to receive semi-formed decapper blanksand direct them intoA vertical grooves, as 6d, of suitable formation toreceive blanks in desired position, that are formed on and in thecircumference of said feed drum 6|, between same and the inner wall ofsaid funnel shaft B2, the bottom of which grooves are closed, except atone discharge port 65, by a collar 66 mounted upon said feed drum bodybelow said grooves and supported as by pins 61, but held in the funnelshaft S2-as by screw head 58 in a wall slot in said shaft. This permitsthe collar 55 a limited vertical movement with the feeddrum Si but norotative movement with it, as

such lateral movement wouldblock the discharge A around `the lowerungrooved portion 1| 'of the drum body. Above this'rack 69 on the drumbody is freely pivoted a pawl 13 that is adapted to engage the rack 69except when the feed drum ascends into hopper 63 to the limit of itsvertical movement in the funnel shaft by action of the agitator bar 53.Then the'pawl clears engagement with the rack and drops into 'rack teethmore vertically below its pivotal point.

Thus

5. when the feedl drum; descends.- .by downward movement. of theagitator bar- 59. the new tooth engagement of pawl 13 with th'erackoperates toV rotate the drum aspace laterally, 13.0. both induceentrance of further blanksinto the-drum grooves from.,the funnel hopper63 above and also move another vertical chute towards. the dischargeport6.51. ,Fr-om. the sprocket. wheel 41:- on the'reverse off.' wheeldisk49a drive chain ascends diagonally to. the driving. sprocket. 15 of. avsprocketwheel 1f5thati's ,pivoted at the top ofmain standard 2, adjacentthe funnelhopper edge.l This wheel-.16 oir its main sprocket. carries? aconveyor .chainof linked segments, 11, that passes down the inner sideof main standard 2 and around a suitable sprocket wheel 18 that ispivoted on the main standard adjacent its base, thence ascending alongthe rear face of the standard through a lower hopper 19-preferablyusable for feeding blanks because most accessible, that is mounted onthe standard 2 rear face and designed to feed its contents against theascending conveyor chain 11, the linked segments of which are designedto engage decapper blanks in desired position and lift them to the upperfunnel feed hopper 63, discharging them into same as the chain linksinvert in going over the sprocket wheel 15 adjacent the edge of saidfunnel hopper.

The operation of my decapper forming and applying machine as shown iseffected as fol- I lows: First it is assumed that the machine is set upbeside a chain conveyor for bottles and its connection therewithestablished by adjustment of brackets 6 and 2| to engage said conveyorand suit the height of the bottles used, the latter adjustment providingthat the steadying cone on bracket 2l will have enough rise and fall toenter and lift clear of the bottle mouths. Vertical adjustment of thebrackets 6 and 2| is, of course, effected through their slidablemounting on and in the lesser standard 3 and the collar I8 and use ofset screws 9 and 20. Then, preferably, the lower hopper 19 is filledwith semi-formed decapper blanks-the upper hopper, not being so.accessible for feeding but usable in emergency,

normally functioning as a feeding reservoir of blanks passing to feedchannels. The ascending conveyor chain 11 then passing upward on theinner wall of said lower hopper 19 engages a succession of decapperblanks in its linked segments and carries them up to the top of mainstandard 2, where the .conveyor chain inverts its linked segments as itpasses over the sprocket wheel 15 at the edge of upper hopper 63 andthus dumps the carried blanks into said hopper, one after the other, inthe best position to facilitate their descent down the funnel-like wallof said upper hopper to the shaft 62 in same and the top of feed drum6i. There it either immediately enters one of the vertical grooves orslideways of the drum, as B4, or awaits proper entrance thereto alone oras one of an accumulation of blanks thereat, through the rise androtative fall of said feed drum in the funnel shaft by operation of themechanism below same: the agitator bar 59; driving bar 55; disk wheel49; pawl 13; and rack collar 69. The decapper blank, as 80, havingentered and descended to the bottom of one of said slide grooves, as 64,awaits rotation of that groove to the discharge port 65, where it slidesdown a discharging slideway 3|; dives headfrst into an opposed openingor trip hole 82 in the frame of bracket 32 at that point which is suit--ably smaller than the blank body, so that the vbody weight causes theblank to swing around,

througlrtheopening 59 abovethef. stop ledge- 53, .toi

come tofrestpn 'said ledgefinfrontfofe arbor` 53ina propels .positionfor; shaping. d'ejactioni-. shaping@g,diev 4E then advances. againstthe; .de

capper blank by; operation. ofdrivebar- 5:51 and its eccentric:pivoting: ons wheel; 40, and; pusheathe: blankagainsttarbor Contactwitharbor-stops:4 they central di'e member: 41'.' and causes wings 41k;and.- 49. of?` the to; converge under the: advanciin'g pressure ofthe:die body; 5tl on them. through spring plate. 51:, as the diebodyfslides" alongv the shankof: the retarded'. central. member 41,.which abi'itsther blank? andarbor, and the wings v48 and 49 press theblank sides forward and around the shaping arbor. Then in the withdrawalof the shaping die from the arbor the central member 41 of the die isstatic, and the wings 48 and 49 have no rear pressure upon them otherthan that exerted by the weak plate springs 5IA and are diverged largelyby the wedging effect of the arbor curvature upon their outer ends, thuspulling the fully formed blank off the arbor by engagement of the wingrecesses with the ears 83 now extending laterally from the fully formedcollar decapper. This engagement of the wings of the shaping die withthe ears of the formed collar pulls the collar back from the arbor to apoint where the wings release it above the exit well 33, by central diemember 41 butting at rear end against a stud 41A while the shaping diebody recedes farther. Then the formed collar, em-

bracive of the slide post 3l in said exit well 33,

slides down, to come to rest upon the top of the applying plunger 24-anddrop off same as it recedes-or land immediately in front of said plungerif it is already receded sufficiently. The next forward movement of theapplying plunger 24 then pushes fully formed collar decapper onto theneck and head finish of the bottle travelling on chain conveyor 1. whichhas at that moment reached the peak of its interception on said conveyorby thel arms of star wheel 9 and the backing offered by the end arm 8 ofbracket 6. The bottle, with collar decapper duly applied to it, thencontinues on its way to filling and capping operations--and the actionis repeated.

While one preferable embodiment of my invention is illustrated anddescribed herein, it is obvious that various embodiments and adaptationsof it are practicable without departure from the spirit of theinvention.

Iclaim:

1. A machine for applying decappers to bottles, wherein the decappersare preshaped as to their fundamental structure but require nalcurvature shaping to conform to the individual shape of a particularbottle neck so that the decappers conform to, extend around, and gripthe neck to a greater extent than degrees, said machine comprising; afeed for preshaped decappers; a detachable arbor of a shapecorresponding to the individual shape of the particular bottle neck towhich the decapper is to be applied; means for transferring decappersfrom said feed to said arbor and conforming the same thereto forobtaining the final curvature, and means for transferring said finalcontoured decappers from said arbor to a bottle neck and for applyingthe same thereto.

2. A machine for applying decappers to bottles, wherein the decappersare preshaped as to their fundamental structure but require nalcurvature shaping to conform to the individual shape of a particularbottle neck so that the decappers conform to, extend around, and gripthe neck to e; greater extent than 180 degrees, said machne comprising;a feed for preshaped decappers; afdetachable arbor-.of a shape corre.-sponding to the individualfshape of theparticular bottle neck to whichthe decapper is to be 5 applied, said arbor being less in diameter thansaid bottle neck; means for transferring decappers from said feed tosaid arborand conforming the same thereto for obtaining the nalcurvature, and means for transferring said nal 10 contoured decappersfrom said arbor to a bottle neck and for applying the same'thereto.

ROBERT EDWIN REARDON,

REFERENCES oI'rE The following references are of record in the' file ofthis patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lewis Oct. 6, 1874 Mann Sept. 6,1898 Mafera July 22, 1930 Forney Nov. 3, 1931 Oestnaes et a1. Oct. 25,1932 Andreoli Sept. 28, 1937 Pooleet al. July 21, 1942

